Medicine dispensing device

ABSTRACT

A medicine dispensing device has a device body ( 1 ), shelf members ( 2 ) arranged in the vertical directions in the device body ( 1 ), and a medicine conveyance member ( 3 ) for conveying medicines (D), received in the shelf members ( 2 ), on one by one basis from the front face side of the device body ( 1 ). A shelf member ( 2 ) has cassettes ( 26 ) in which medicines (D) are received in line, a pusher ( 31 ) for pushing the medicines in the cassettes ( 26 ) toward the front face side of the device body ( 10 ), and a constant load spring ( 32 ) for applying a constant load to the medicines (D) received in the cassettes ( 26 ) through the pusher ( 31 ). To fill the cassettes ( 26 ) with the medicines (D), the shelf member ( 2 ) can be pulled out from the front face side of the device body ( 1 ) and then positioned by pivoting the shelf member ( 2 ) so as to face obliquely downward.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a medicine dispensing device, and morespecifically to a medicine dispensing device that is capable ofappropriately dispensing a medicine, such as an injection medication,stored in a resin container.

PRIOR ART

Conventionally, medicine dispensing devices have been disclosed thatinclude a plurality of cassettes respectively storing medicines, and adispensing conveyance mechanism that allow a medicine to be removed froma desired cassette containing a desired medicine, and conveys thecassette to a predetermined position (see Patent Publication 1).

Patent Publication 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.2000-24086.

The medicine dispensing device, however, has a configuration whereincassettes are placed on shelves drawable only in the horizontaldirection. As such, when the medicine in the cassette is out of stock,the shelf is drawn out in the horizontal direction, and the medicine hasto be replenished into the cassette that opens only upward. In thiscase, a problem arises in that this filling operation becomes moredifficult as the position of the shelf is higher.

In addition, in the medicine dispensing device, a portion where themedicine is filled and a portion where the medicine is conveyed by thedispensing conveyance mechanism are formed opposite to one another. Forthis reason, sufficient spacings have to be provided in both front andrear portions of the medicine dispensing device, therefore requiring anunavoidable increase in the device size.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Problems to be solved by the Invention

In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide amedicine dispensing device that enables the facilitation of medicinereplenishment and a reduction in occupied spacing.

Means for Solving the Problems

As means for achieving the object, a medicine dispensing device includesa device body; in the device body, a plurality of shelf membersjuxtaposed in a vertical direction; and a medicine conveyance memberthat conveys medicines stored in the shelf members one by one from afront side of the device body, wherein the shelf members each includes aplurality of cassettes that each store medicines in an aligned state,and the each shelf member is drawn out to the front side of the devicebody to be rotatable so that one end portion of the shelf member isdirected along in an oblique lower direction.

According to the configuration, that is, the configuration wherein thedisposition position of the medicine conveyance member and the positionfor replenishing the medicine into the cassette are both located on thefront side of the device body, the device can be formed to be compact.In addition, the shelf member drawn out from the device body can betilted, such that even in the case of a shelf member located in an upperportion, medicines can easily be replenished into the cassette.

Each aforementioned cassette may preferably include a pusher thatcompresses the stored medicines toward the front side of the devicebody, and a constant load spring that exerts a constant load on themedicines stored in the cassette via the pusher.

The device body may preferably include a slide member that supports theshelf member to be slidable along a horizontal direction and that causeseach aforementioned shelf member to be rotatable in a state of the shelfmember drawn out from the device body, and a guide portion that guidesthe shelf member when the shelf member is rotated.

The configuration may be such that the shelf member includes a guideroller; and the guide portion of the device body is formed to include afirst guide surface whereon the guide roller rolls to thereby guide theshelf member slidably along in a horizontal state, and an arcuate secondguide surface whereon the guide roller rolls to thereby guide the shelfmember to be in a tilted state when the shelf member is rotated in thestate of the shelf member drawn out from device body. This configurationis preferable in that although the configuration is simple, the draw-outoperation and rotational operation of the shelf member can be smoothlyperformed.

Preferably, any one of the guide portion and the shelf member of thedevice body includes a lock member that maintain the shelf member in thetilted state in the state of the shelf member drawn out from the devicebody and rotated.

Effects of the Invention

Thus, according to the present invention, since the disposition positionof the medicine conveyance member and the position for replenishing themedicine into the cassette are both located on the front side of thedevice body, the configuration can be formed to be very compact. Inaddition, the shelf member in the drawn-out state can be tilted, suchthat even in the case of a shelf member located in an upper portion,medicines can easily be replenished into the cassette.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of a medicine dispensing device inaccordance with the present embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a side view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3( a) is a detail view showing a draw-out structure of a shelfmember in FIG. 2, and FIG. 3( b) is a locally enlarged side-sectionalview thereof;

FIG. 4( a) is a cross sectional view of cassettes arranged in the shelfmember shown in FIG. 3, and FIG. 4( b) is a side cross sectional viewthereof;

FIG. 5 is a front elevation view of a clamping member shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a rearside elevation view of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a side view of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a view showing a state where a turn plate pivoted from thestate of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 shows views depicting a pivoted state of the turn plate;

FIG. 10 shows views showing medicines to be stored in cassettes;

FIG. 11 is an outline view descriptive of an operation state of ahorizontal guide bar shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 12 is a block diagram of a medicine supply unit in accordance withthe present embodiment;

FIG. 13 is a flowchart diagram showing operation of the medicinedispensing device in accordance with the present embodiment;

FIG. 14 is a flowchart diagram showing the operation of the medicinedispensing device in accordance with the present embodiment;

FIG. 15 is a side cross sectional view showing a cassette in accordancewith another embodiment;

FIG. 16 shows views descriptive of the operation of taking or removing amedicine from the cassette shown in FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 shows side cross sectional views showing a cassette inaccordance with another embodiment;

FIG. 18( a) is a front elevation view showing medicines to be stored inthe cassette shown in FIG. 17, and FIG. 18( b) is a side view thereof;

FIG. 19 is a perspective view showing an auxiliary pusher used in thecassette shown in FIG. 17;

FIG. 20 is a perspective view showing a cassette in accordance withanother embodiment;

FIG. 21( a) is a front sectional view of the cassette shown in FIG. 20,and FIG. 21( b) is an enlarged view of the part A therein;

FIG. 22 is a side cross sectional view of the cassette shown in FIG. 20;

FIG. 23 is a plan view of the cassette shown in FIG. 20;

FIG. 24 is a perspective view showing an application example of a guideplate shown with the cassette shown in FIG. 15; and

FIG. 25( a) is a side view showing an application example wherein theguide plate is mounted to the cassette shown in FIG. 17, and FIG. 25( b)is a side view showing an operational state thereof.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the present invention will be described in accordancewith the accompanying drawings below.

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of a medicine dispensing device inaccordance with the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a side viewthereof. In the medicine dispensing device, a device body 1 has aplurality of shelf members 2 juxtaposed in the upward and downwarddirections. A medicine D stored in a respective shelf member 2 is storedin a tray 5 by being conveyed to a lower side by using a medicineconveyance member 3 provided on the side of a front face of the devicebody 1. The tray 5 is mounted on a tray conveyance line 4 and conveyed.

The device body 1 has a frontside openable and closable by a door (notshown), and has a plurality of guide members 6 provided on sidewallinner surfaces. The guide members 6 have two types of functions and, asshown in FIGS. 2 and 3, include a first guide member 6 a positioned inan uppermost portion and second guide members 6 b positioned lower thanthe first guide member. The first guide member 6 a tilts about a pivot16 in the center after the shelf member 2 has been drawn out, however,the second guide members 6 b do not have the function.

The first guide member 6 a includes a guide wall 7 and a guide rail 8slidably supported by an inner surface of the guide wall 7. The shelfmember 2 reciprocatingly moves in a forward and rearward directionsalong an arrow mark shown in FIG. 2.

With reference to FIG. 3( a), the guide wall 7 has a first guide surface9 extending in the forward and rearward directions, which is formed on alower edge of an upper half, and a circularly arcuate second guidesurface 10 formed on a front end face (front side) of the upper half. Asupport roller 11 is rotatably disposed on a front side of a lower halfportion of the guide wall 7. The second guide surface 10 is providedwith a stopper 12 that stops further rotation of the shelf member 2being abutted with a protrusion piece 25 a provided in the vicinity of abelow-described guide roller 25 of the shelf member 2. The guide roller25 rolls over the first guide surface 9 and the second guide surface 10formed on the first guide member 6 a of the device body 1.

In a guide rail 8, an intermediate rail portion 7 a is slidably providedin a first rail portion 13 integrated with the guide wall 7, and asecond rail portion 14 is slidably provided to the intermediate railportion 7 a. Thereby, the second rail portion 14 is reciprocatinglymovable in the forward and rearward directions of the device body 1. Asupport wall 15 is formed above the second rail portion 14. A pivot 16is provided in a central portion of the support wall 15 to therebyrotatably support the shelf member 2, whereby a first shelf member 2 ais configured, as shown in FIG. 1. A spring 16 a is provided around thepivot 16. One end portion of the spring is fixedly secured to thesupport wall 15 and the other end portion is abutted against an abutmentreceiving portion 15 a formed in the shelf member 2, whereby the shelfmember 2 is urged in the horizontal state. In addition, as shown in FIG.3( a), an anchor receiving section 17 is formed on the front side of thesupport wall 15, wherein an anchoring portion 24 of a lock member 23provided on the shelf member 2 is anchored. Thereby, the shelf member 2is stopped for the rotation, thereby entering a tilted state.

With reference to FIG. 2, a second shelf member 2 b is supported by thesecond guide member 6 b, and has a support rail section 18 slidablysupported along the forward and rearward directions of the device body1. The second guide member 6 b only supports the second shelf member 2 breciprocatingly movable along the forward and rearward directions, suchthat, different from the first shelf member 2 a, the second shelf member2 b does not tilt.

With reference to FIG. 1, shelf positional shift sensors 19 arerespectively provided in upper and lower portions of both sidewalls (inthe present embodiment, the sensors are configured of two sets ofsensors, each set having an light emitting device and a photoreceptordevice). The shelf positional shift sensors 19 detects whether or notthe shelf member 2 remains in the drawn-out state. In more specific, theshelf member 2 has through-holes formed in stored states in appropriatepositions of the device body 1 to enable light transmission from thelight emitting devices to the photoreceptor devices.

As shown in FIG. 2, the first shelf member 2 a is rotatably supported bythe guide wall 7 of the device body 1, and is urged to move in thehorizontal direction by the spring 16 a. As shown in FIG. 3, the lockmember 23 is provided in the vicinity of a handle 22 provided on the oneside, and the anchoring portion 24 therefor is engageable anddisengageable with the anchor receiving section 17 of the support wall15. With the anchoring portion 24 anchored to the anchor receivingsection 17, the first shelf member 2 a is maintained in the tilted stateshown in FIG. 3. In addition, the guide roller 25 is rotatably providedon a back surface side of the first shelf member 2 a. The guide roller25 rolls over the first guide surface 9 and the second guide surface 10formed on the guide member 6 of the device body 1. Medicine storageportions 21 have each a cassette 26 in which a medicine push out member30 is provided.

As shown in FIG. 1, the shelf member 2 is such that medicine storageportions 21 are formed in a plurality of arrays along the widthdirection as viewed from the frontside of the device body 1 in a boxbody 20 whose upper surface is open and front side is cut out. Thehandle 22 is provided on each of both end portions of the front face ofthe box body 20.

With reference to FIG. 4, the cassette 26 is formed as a box with anopen upper plane and so as to be capable of storing, wherein medicines Dare aligned in an array with portions on upper sides (upper halves, forexample) thereof being exposed. A bottom wall of the cassette 26 has asupport plate 28 lengthy to the two sides so that a groove portion 27 isformed along a delivery direction of the stored medicines D. Thereby, anarea in contact with the medicines D can be reduced, and a springportion 35 of a constant load spring 32 can be positioned in the grooveportion 27. An anchoring hole 29 where an anchor portion 37 of ananchoring lever 33, described below, is anchored is formed in a rear endportion of the cassette 26. Although the respective cassettes 26 may allbe formed in the same size to store medicines D with the same shape inthe same box body 20, if the cassettes are different in size (such as,the distance between the sidewalls, and the height of the sidewall),medicines D with other shapes can be stored.

With reference to FIGS. 4( a) and 4(b), the medicine push out member 30has a configuration wherein the pusher 31, the constant load spring 32,and the anchoring lever 33 are provided in a casing 30 a.

The casing 30 a is disposed on the bottom wall of the cassette 26 to besidable along the delivery direction.

The pusher 31 is fixedly secured to an end face of the casing 30 a andis formed in the shape of a plate that is capable of pushing thesidewall of the medicine D. In the present case, the pusher is formed ina stepped shape with a protrusion 31 a provided on an abutment surfaceto be able to support a body portion d1 and leg portion d2, which isthinner than the body portion d1, of the medicine D with the shape shownin FIGS. 4( a) and 10(a). As shown in FIGS. 10( b) and 10(c), varioustypes of medicines D are used. By changing the shape of the pusher 31corresponding to the shape, the medicine D can be smoothly compressedalong the delivery direction.

With reference to FIG. 4( a), the constant load spring 32 includes adrum 34 disposed in the casing 30 a, and the spring portion 35 formed bywinding a lengthy strip around the drum 34. In the constant load spring32, the spring portion 35 extended from the casing 30 a retracts intothe casing 30 a with a constant load, regardless of the extension size.The spring portion 35 is positioned in the groove portion 27 on thebottom wall of the cassette 26, and a lead end A of the spring portion35 is fixedly secured on the front end face side of the cassette 26. Inthe present embodiment, commercially available “Constant”® or the likeis used for the constant load spring 32.

The anchoring lever 33 is provided pivotably about a pivot portion 33 ain the center, of which one end portion forms an operation section 36for directly operating by a finger, and the other end portion forms theanchoring tab 37 that engages and disengages with the rear end side ofthe cassette 26.

As shown in FIG. 1, the medicine conveyance member 3 has horizontalguide bars 38, a vertical guide bar 39, and a medicine holding member 40shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

The horizontal guide bars 38, respectively, are disposed on upper andlower portions of the front side of the device body 1, and extendshorizontally in the right and left directions as viewed in FIG. 1. Therespective horizontal guide bars 38 synchronously rotate via pulleys 38a and belts 38 b and 38 c shown in FIG. 11. The horizontal guide bars 38are each composed of a screw thread. The vertical guide bar 39 is suchthat the horizontal guide bars 38 engage upper and lower end portionsthereof. The horizontal guide bars 38 are forwardly and reverselyrotated by driving a motor (not shown), thereby reciprocatingly movingthe vertical guide bar 39 and the medicine holding member 40. A drivemotor 41 shown in FIG. 1 is provided on an upper portion of the verticalguide bar 39, thereby upwardly and downwardly moving the medicineholding member 40 connected to a midway portion of a belt 41 b via apulley 41 a and the belt 41 b.

With reference to FIGS. 5 to 8, the medicine holding member 40 has aconfiguration wherein a frontward-rearward moving member 43 isreciprocatingly movably provided on a support member 42, and a clampingmember 44 is pivotably provided on the frontward-rearward moving member43.

The support member 42 has sidewall portions 42 a and 42 b whose upperportions connected. A guide receiving portion 45 is provided on an innerface of the one wall, sidewall portion 42 a, and a first guide shaft 46and a first screw thread 47 are provided on the other wall, sidewallportion 42 b. The first screw thread 47 is rotated by driving a firstmotor 48 via a pulley 48 a and a belt 48 b.

The frontward-rearward moving member 43 has side plate portions 50provided to oppose both sides of a slide table 49. The slide table 49 isprovided with a roller 49 a rolling on the guide receiving portion 45 ofthe support member 42. In addition, the slide table 49 is penetrated bythe first guide shaft 46, and is engaged with the first screw thread 47.When the first motor 48 is driven and forwardly and reversely rotated torotate the first screw thread 47, the engagement position on the slidetable 49 is varied. Thereby, the slide table 49, that is, thefrontward-rearward moving member 43 reciprocatingly moves along thefirst guide shaft 46.

The clamping member 44 has a pair of pivotal plates 51, a second guideshaft 52 and a second screw thread 53 provided between the pivotalplates 51, and a pair of clamp pieces 54 penetrated by the second guideshaft 52 and engaging the second screw thread 53. The pivotal plates 51are each mounted rotatably about a rotation shaft 51 a in the center,the rotation shaft 51 a being provided on the side plate portion 50 ofthe frontward-rearward moving member 43. Springs 51 b are disposed onboth end sides of the rotation shaft 51 a, and the pivotal plate 51 isurged so as to be situated in the vertical position shown in FIG. 7.

A pressure receptor portion 55 is provided to extend in the horizontaldirection in a lower end portion of the one pivotal plate 51. Asdescribed below, when the medicine conveyance member 3 is moved to adispensing position, the pressure receptor portion 55 is compressed by acompressing piece (which corresponds to a compressing section accordingto the present invention, although not shown) provided in the devicebody 1. This causes the pivotal plate 51, that is, the clamping member44, to rotate, thereby enabling a horizontally position of the medicineD clamped by the clamp pieces 54.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 9, in a lower end portion of the otherpivotal plate 51, a first lock plate 56 is provided so as to bereciprocatingly movable in the state urged by a spring (not shown) inthe horizontal direction (right side in FIG. 9( b)). A roller 56 a and alock pin 56 b are provided on the first lock plate 56. The roller 56 ais compressed by a projected portion 1 a formed in the device body 1,thereby reciprocatingly moving in the horizontal direction along theprojected portion 1 a. The lock pin 56 b moves in a lock hole 58 in asecond lock plate 57 integrated with a lower end portion of the pivotalplate 51. The lock hole 58 is formed in a shape of a fan or sector withan arcuate portion 58 a having a first lock recessed portion 58 b and asecond lock recessed portion 58 c formed at the end portions thereof.When the clamping member 44 moves downward, the roller 56 a iscompressed by the projected portion 1 a to thereby reciprocatingly moveagainst urging forces of the spring 51 b. Thereby, the lock pin 56 bfalls off from the first lock recessed portion 58 b, moves to the secondlock recessed portion 58 c via the arcuate portion 58 a, and thenengages therewith. On the other hand, when the clamping member 44 movesupward, the roller 56 a is compressed by the projected portion 1 a tothereby reciprocatingly move against urging forces of the spring 51 b.Thereby, the lock pin 56 b falls off from the second lock recessedportion 58 c, and moves to the first lock recessed portion 58 b via thearcuate portion 58 a.

As shown in FIG. 8, two second guide shafts 52 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6are disposed on two sides with the second screw thread 53 in the center.The second screw thread 53 is mounted with the pair of clamp pieces 54engaged therewith and further axially received by two second guideshafts 52. In addition, the second screw thread 53 is formed such thatthreads are formed in the mutually opposite relationship with respect tosubstantially the center of the axial length (for example, right-handthreads in the left half, and left-hand threads in the right half).Thereby, when the second screw thread 53 is rotated, the engagementposition of the respective clamp piece 54 varies, such that the clamppieces 54 move close to or away from one another along respective twosecond guide shafts 52. The second screw thread 53 is forwardly andreversely rotated via a pulley 59 a and a belt 59 b in accordance withthe forward and reverse rotation of a second motor 59.

Referring to FIG. 5, the clamp piece 54 is configured of an outer frame54 a that guides to be a rectangular shape in a side view, and aresilient guide portion 54 b that press-contacts the outer peripheralsurface of the medicine D. The resilient guide portion is formed in sucha manner as to form a cross sectional surface along a plane in contactwith the medicine D into a sawtooth shape, thereby stabilizing theretained state of the medicine D.

Referring to FIG. 1, the tray conveyance line 4 is configured of aplurality of conveyance rollers 60 arranged in the horizontal directionat a predetermined pitch. The conveyance rollers 60 are rotated by amotor or the like (not shown) to convey the tray 5 placed thereover. Astopper (not shown) is provided on one end side of the tray conveyanceline 4, whereby the conveyed tray 5 is temporarily stopped at thedispensing position to thereby make it possible to dispense the medicineD conveyed by the medicine conveyance member 3.

Referring to a block diagram of FIG. 12, in the medicine dispensingdevice configured as described above, a control device 61 refers to datastored in a storage device 64 and thereby performs drive control ofrespective driving devices 65. The control is performed in accordancewith, for example, prescription data input from, for example, a server62 and an input device 63, and a detection signal in the shelfpositional shift sensor 19. The storage device 64 contains, for example,position data on the positions of the cassettes 26 in the shelf members2, and various medicine-dispensing related data including types ofmedicines D stored in the respective shelf members 2, residual amountsthereof, and shapes thereof, for example.

Operation of the medicine dispensing device configured as describedabove will now be described in accordance with flowchart diagrams shownin FIGS. 13 and 14.

When prescription data is input from, for example, the server 62 or theinput device 63 (step S1), the device reads out medicine-dispensingrelated data (step S2), which is stored in the storage device 64, inaccordance with the input prescription data. Then, in accordance withthe read-out medicine-dispensing related data, the device determines acassette 26 on a shelf member 2 from which a medicine D described in theprescription data is taken or removed (step S3). In addition, inaccordance with the shape of the medicine D contained in themedicine-dispensing related data, the gap between the clamp pieces 54 ispredetermined to be slightly larger than the width of the medicine D(step S4). Thereby, the medicine D can be clamped with a minimumoperation in the state of the medicine holding member 40 moved to animmediately-before position of the medicine D, and hence the operationtime therefor can be reduced. Further, since the gap between the clamppieces 54 relative to the width of the medicine D can be minimized, thecassette 26 in the respective shelf member 2 can be arranged close to aposition not interfering with the clamp pieces 54.

Subsequently, the medicine conveyance member 3 is driven, thereby movingthe medicine holding member 40 to the shelf member 2 storing thecorresponding medicine D (step S5). When the medicine holding member 40is moved to the immediately-before position of the shelf member 2storing the corresponding medicine D (step S6), then the first motor 48is forwardly driven to forwardly move the frontward-rearward movingmember 43 (step S7). Then, the second motor 59 is driven, and themedicine D is clamped by the clamp pieces 54 (step S8).

Then it is determined whether or not the medicine D is appropriatelyclamped by the clamp pieces 54 (step S9). The determination is made todetect the energized state of current to the second motor 59 for finingwhether or not the state is in an overcurrent state. If in theovercurrent state wherein, for example, a detected voltage value inexcess of a predetermined threshold value, then it is determined thatthe medicine D is clamped by the clamp pieces 54. Alternatively, if thedetected voltage value is not in excess of the threshold value, then itis determined that nothing is clamped by the clamp pieces 54.

If it is determined that the medicine D is not appropriately clamped bythe clamp pieces 54, then it is recognized that the medicine D is notstored in the corresponding cassette 26 and it is reported as anout-of-stock instance (step S10).

Then it is determined whether or not a continuous process is set (stepS11). If the continuous process is not set, then the operationterminates (step S12); or if set, the operation returns to step S1 anditerates the processes.

If it is determined that the medicine D is appropriately clamped by theclamp pieces 54, then the drive motor 41 of the medicine conveyancemember 3 is forwardly driven to thereby move up the medicine holdingmember 40, and the medicine D clamped by the clamp pieces 54 is pulledout from the cassette 26 (step S13). Then the first motor 48 isreversely driven, and the medicine holding member 40 is returned to theimmediately-before position of the cassette 26 (step S14). In thisevent, in the cassette 26, the medicines D are compressed by the pusher31 urged by the constant load spring 32 and are thereby moved forward.As such, the medicines D abut a front-end inner face of the cassette 26,thereby automatically setting preparation for the subsequent dispensingoperation.

Subsequently, the medicine holding member 40 is moved to the dispensingposition of the tray conveyance line 4 (step S15). In this event, thetray 5 is conveyed by the tray conveyance line 4 to be brought into astandby state at the dispensing position (step S16).

In the medicine holding member 40, the pivotal plate 51 pivots when thecompressing piece abuts the pressure receptor portion 55 immediatelybefore the dispensing position is reached. The pivoting position of thepivotal plate 51 is located on the lower side of the lowest shelf member2, which is located in the lowest position. Accordingly, the medicine Dclamped by the clamp pieces 54 is horizontally positioned and forwardlypushed out. Consequently, the size in the forward and rearwarddirections of a spacing formed on the front side of the shelf member 2in the device body 1 is reduced, and in addition, the medicine D can behorizontally stored in the tray 5.

After similar processes, when the operation of dispensing themedicine(s) D contained in the prescription data to the tray 5 iscompleted (step S17), then the stopped state of the tray 5 by thestopper at the dispensing position of the tray conveyance line 4 isreset. Then, the tray 5 is conveyed to the outside from the device body1 (step S18).

Thus, according to the medicine dispensing device of the presentembodiment, the disposition position of the medicine conveyance member 3and the position for replenishing the medicine D into the cassette 26 bydrawing out the shelf member 2 can be located on the front side of thedevice body 1. Accordingly, the same spacing can be shared, and hencethe device itself can be formed to be compact. In addition, the clamppieces 54 are pivoted on the lower side of the lowest shelf member 2 tothereby enable a clamped medicine D to be dispensed by using themedicine conveyance member 3. Accordingly, the spacing to be formedbetween the shelf member 2 and the front face of the device body 1 canbe reduced. Further, the shelf member 2 can be drawn out in an obliquelower direction, such that even in the case of the first shelf member 2a, which is located in the highest position, replenishment of medicinesD into the cassette 26 can easily be performed.

When no medicine D remains in a shelf member 2, the medicines D may bereplenished by drawing out the shelf member 2. More specifically, thelock member 23 is pulled to thereby disengage the anchoring portion 24from the anchor receiving section 17 of the device body 1, and the shelfmember 2 is pulled out by holding the handles 22. In this case, as shownin FIG. 2 or 3, when the shelf is the highest shelf member 2, thedraw-out side at the lead end can be tilted after the shelf member 2 hasbeen drawn out from the device body 1. More specifically, when the shelfmember 2 is pulled out by holding the handles 22, the first rail portion13 and the second rail portion 14 sequentially extents from thesidewall, and the guide roller 25 slides on the first guide surface 9,whereby the shelf member 2 horizontally moves to the front side. Whenthe guide roller 25 reaches the second guide surface 10, the guidefunction of the first guide surface 9 is lost, so that the shelf member2 can be rotated about the pivot 16 in the center. As such, when theshelf member 2 is rotated against the urging forces of the spring 16 a,the guide roller 25 rolls along the second guide surface 10, thedraw-out side (lead end side) is tilted in the oblique lower direction.With the shelf member 2 having thus been tilted to the predeterminedposition, the rotation thereof is stopped by the lock member 23, suchthat medicines D are replenished into the cassette 26.

When storing the medicines D into the cassette 26, the pusher 31 of themedicine push out member 30 is compressed and moved against the urgingforces of the constant load spring 32. Concurrently, the anchoring tab37 of the anchoring lever 33 is anchored in the anchoring hole 29 formedon the back surface side of the cassette 26. Upon completion ofreplenishment of medicines D into the cassette 26, the anchoring lever33 is manipulated to disengage the anchoring tab 37 from the anchoringhole 29. Thereby, the medicines D are moved by the urging forces of theconstant load spring 32 to the front side of the cassette 26 to bealigned.

FIGS. 15 and 16 show a configuration wherein a fall prevention rod 66 isprovided in an end portion on a medicine removal side of the cassette26. The fall prevention rod 66 is disposed in the center of asubstantially V-shaped cutout portion formed in the end portion of thecassette 26, and prevents a fallen state of the specially shapedmedicine D. More specifically, the medicine D is such thatintravenous-drip injection medication is stored in a specially shapedbottle that has projected portions respectively on the upper and lowerportions of the body portion d1 and that additionally has on the lowerside the leg portion d2 thinner than the body portion d1. As such, themedicines are arranged unstable in the cassette 26, so that themedicines each tend to fall when being, in particular, removed from thecassette 26. For this reason, the fall prevention rod 66 is provided toenable the support of the body portion d1 of the medicine D up to thevicinity of the upper end thereof, to thereby stabilize the stored stateand removal state of the medicine D.

In addition, a guide plate 67 is formed on the cassette 26. The guideplate 67 is vertically formed from a sidewall on the one side of thecassette 26, has a bent shape to become substantially parallel to thecassette bottom wall in the upper position of the medicine D, and has anupper surface portion positioned in the vicinity of the next medicine D.Thereby, in the event of removing the medicine D, even when an adjacentmedicine D is induced to be moved together by friction, the medicine Dabuts the upper surface portion of the guide plate 67, such thatdischarging thereof is appropriately prevented.

FIG. 24 is a perspective view showing an application example of theguide plate 67 in the cassette shown in FIG. 15. In the case that themedicines D each having the shape shown in the drawing are stored in thecassette 26 and the guide plate 67 shown in FIG. 15 is mounted, when aneck ring Da provided to the medicine D is directed to the side of theguide plate 67 in the course of conveyance with the medicine push outmember 30, the guide plate 67 in the cassette shown in FIG. 15 isentangled with a neck ring Da, such that the medicine push out member 30cannot compress the medicines D. On the other hand, the guide plate 67shown with the application example has a first sloped surface 67 aupwardly sloped along the carrying direction, and a second slopedsurface 67 b sloped toward a central position of the cassette 26 from amounted position of the guide plate 67. When the neck ring Da isdirected to the side of the guide plate 67, it abuts the first slopedsurface 67 a, and upwardly rotates in the course of movement along thecarrying direction. When the neck ring Da reaches an upper end portionof the guide plate 67, the abutment surface of the neck ring Da changesto the second sloped surface 67 b, the neck ring Da directed to the sideof the guide plate 67 rotates in the opposite direction. As such, in thecase of the guide plate 67 in the present application example, when themedicines D are stored into the cassette 26, no care needs to be paid toprevent the neck ring Da from being directed to the side of the guideplate 67. Further, regardless of the direction of the neck ring Da, themedicine D can be securely conveyed by the medicine push-out member 30.

The medicine D is removed in the following manner from the cassette 26having the fall prevention rod 66. The medicine D is clamped by theclamp pieces 54 of the clamping member 44, and as shown in FIG. 16( b),it is moved up to a position higher than the sidewall of the cassette26. In this event, a next medicine D is prevented by the guide plate 67from being discharged. Subsequently, the entirety of the medicineholding member 40, which has the clamping member 44, is moved along thehorizontal guide bar 38. Then, as shown in FIG. 16( c), after the legportion d2 of the medicine D is moved to a position not interfering withthe fall prevention rod 66, the first motor 48 is reversely driven toreturn the medicine holding member 40 to the immediately-before positionof the cassette 26. Thus, the medicine D is clamped by the clamp pieces54 and removed from the side of the immediately-before position of thecassette 26. However, only the fall prevention rod 66 is additionallyprovided to the cassette 26, and the clamped medicine D is removed bybeing shifted to the left or right, such that no case occurs wherein themedicine D interferes with the fall prevention rod 66. Further, theprocess can be implemented at low costs without increasing the amount ofremoval time.

FIG. 17 shows a configuration wherein in addition to the fall preventionrod 66 (not essentially necessary), an auxiliary pusher 68 is providedon the pusher 31 of the cassette 26. The cassette 26 contains medicinesD so-called kit medicines, each being prepared such that, as shown inFIG. 18, a thin container 69 storing an injection medication is put in abag 70. The containers 69 are arranged in the cassette 26, and an upperhalf of the bag is clamped by the clamp pieces 54 to remove the kitmedicine D. As shown in FIG. 19, the auxiliary pusher 68 is formed lowerthan the pusher 31 into a shape having a projected portion 68 a in acentral portion, and is integrated with the pusher 31. (If it isconfigured detachable, it can be attached only when a medicine stored inthe cassette 26 is a thin and deformable type.) Portions excepting theprojected portion 68 a are positioned lower than the container 69, andonly the end portions (portions chamfered into R shapes on both sides)are slightly projected from the container 69. In addition, the projectedportion 68 a is formed to have a width dimension not interfering withthe clamp pieces 54 when the bag portion of the kit medicine D isclamped in a liftable state.

In the cassette 26 having the auxiliary pusher 68, only the container 69can be appropriately compressed by the auxiliary pusher 68, and themedicines D can be appropriately aligned in the cassette 26.

In addition, in the event of medicine-D removal from the cassette 26,the bag portion is deformed to thereby enable the removal of a firstmedicine D when the medicine D is clamped by the clamp pieces 54. Assuch, in the same manner as shown in FIG. 15, after once taken up fromthe cassette 26, the medicine D is moved in the side direction andfrontwardly removed while preventing interference with the fallprevention rod 66. Since the medicine D is thin, when the clamp pieces54 clamp the medicine D, interference with a portion of the next oradjacent medicine D is unavoidable (even if it is attempted to avoidsuch interference, the medicine holding member 40 needs to be moved withhigh accuracy—which is impractical in terms of costs). In the course ofclamping the medicine D by the clamp pieces 54, the bag portion expandsin forward and rearward directions (longitudinal direction of thecassette 26), such that only the first medicine D thus clamped can beremoved.

In this manner, the medicines D are serially removed from the cassette26. When removing a last medicine D, only the projected portion 68 a onthe center exists in a movement path of the clamp pieces 54, henceobviating the case of interference with the clamp pieces 54.Consequently, even in the case that such thin medicines D are stored inthe cassette 26, they can be smoothly discharged up to the last one.

FIGS. 25( a) and 25(b) are views showing an application example whereinthe guide plate 67 is provided to prevent the bag portion of the nextmedicine D from being taken up. Referring to FIG. 25( a), the bag-shapedmedicines D are aligned in the cassette 26, wherein the pusher 31 of themedicine push-out member 30 compresses the bag-shaped medicines D fromthe rear side thereof toward a removal portion. Since the bag-shapedmedicines D are devoid of stability, the configuration has an auxiliaryguide plate 74 in the width direction of the cassette 26. As shown inthe drawings, in the vicinity of the removal portion, the guide plate 67is provided tilted in the shape bent in such a manner as to presscontact the cassette bottom wall in the conveyance course in the upperposition of the medicines D. An end portion of the guide plate 67 has ahinge 75 configured of a holding portion 75 a for holding the medicine Dand a fixing portion 75 b for fixing to the guide plate 67. The hinge 75is urged by a spring (not shown) along the direction of the bottom wallof the cassette 26, thereby preventing the medicine D from being pushedout.

In the present application example having the guide plate 67, in thecourse of clamping the medicine D by the clamp pieces 54, the bagportion expands in the forward and rearward directions (longitudinaldirection of the cassette 26). Accordingly, when removing only the firstmedicine D clamped, the next medicine D is stored below the guide plate67, and further, also a portion of the medicine D expanded as a resultof being clamped is removed with the clamp pieces 54 from the cassette26 in the state of the portion engaging a lower portion of the guideplate 67, thus resulting in the risk that the bag of the medicine D mayburst. Nevertheless, as shown in FIG. 25( b), in the event of removal,since the expanded portion of the medicine D contacts with the holdingportion 75 a to thereby be rotated, no cases take place wherein the bagof the medicine D is damaged and also the medicine D is upwardly moved.

FIG. 20 shows a configuration having a moving support portion 71 on thebottom wall of the cassette 26. In the example shown in FIG. 20, as themoving support portion 71, a configuration is employed wherein endlessbelts 73 are wound on between pulleys 72. The pulleys 72, respectively,are disposed in both end portions on both sides of the cassette 26. Theendless belts 73 are wound on the respective pulleys 72 positioned onboth sides, and are disposed in an exposed manner on two tracks on thebottom wall of the cassette 26. As shown in FIG. 21( a) and in FIG. 21(b) in more detail, cutouts (not shown) are formed in both end portionsof the bottom wall of the cassette 26, wherein shifting of the endlessbelt 73 takes place via the cutout between a portion exposed on thebottom wall of the cassette 26 and a portion in an inner spacing on thebottom wall side of the cassette 26. The pulleys 72 are each rotatablyprovided about a rotation shaft 72 a in the center, wherein when forcesact on the endless belt 73, the endless belt 73 is enabled an easyperform of circular movement. Sawtooth-shaped protrusions and recesses,or irregular portions are formed on the surface of the respectiveendless belt 73 to reduce the area of contact with the bottom wall ofthe medicine D. In addition, in the example of FIG. 20, the medicine Dstored in the cassette 26 has a structure wherein a bottom-wall centralportion is recessed and only the peripheral portions can be contacted.For this reason, the two endless belts 73 are provided only for portionscontactable with the bottom walls of the medicine D. In addition, sincethe endless belts 73 are thus provided on two tracks, even when themedicine D is rotated in the event of removal of the medicine D, one ofthe endless belts 73 follows. This makes it possible to prevent themedicine D from falling. Other configurations are similar to those ofthe cassette 26 shown in FIG. 4.

According to the cassette 26 thus configured, as shown in FIG. 22, themedicines D are aligned and stored in the cassette 26, and when themedicine is serially removed from the removal side, the remainingmedicines D are pushed out to the removal side. The portions of theendless belts 73 exposed on the bottom wall of the cassette 26 areprovided on two lines, and the irregular portions are formed on thesurfaces thereof to reduce the area of contact with the medicine D.Accordingly, the medicine D smoothly slides and concurrently moves tothe removal side. When friction forces acting between the bottom wall ofthe medicine D and the endless belt 73 are great, the endless belt 73circularly moves before the medicine D falls. Further, since the twoendless belts 73 are provided, even when forces in a rotation directionas shown by the arrow direction in FIG. 23 act on the medicine D, one ofthe endless belts 73 follows to increase the amount of movement of themedicine. Consequently, falling of the medicine D can be securelyprevented.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

1. Device body

2. Shelf member

2 a. First shelf member

2 b. Second shelf member

3. Medicine conveyance member

4. Tray conveyance line

5. Tray

6. Guide member

6 a. First guide member

6 b. Second guide member

7. Guide wall

7 a. Intermediate rail portion

8. Guide rail

9. First guide surface

10. Second guide surface

11. Support roller

12. Stopper

13. First rail portion

14. Second rail portion

15. Support wall

15 a. Abutment receiving portion

16. Pivot

16 a. Spring

17. Anchor receiving section

18. Support rail section

19. Shelf positional shift sensor

20. Box body

21. Medicine storage portion

22. Handle

23. Lock member

24. Anchoring portion

25. Guide roller

26. Cassette

27. Groove portion

28. Support plate

29. Anchoring hole

30. Medicine push-out member

30 a. Casing

31. Pusher

31 a. Protrusion

32. Constant load spring

33. Anchoring lever

34. Drum

35. Spring portion

36. Operation section

37. Anchoring tab

38. Horizontal guide bar (horizontal guide portion)

39. Vertical guide bar (vertical guide portion)

40. Medicine holding member

41. Drive motor

41 a. Pulley

41 b. Belt

42. Support member

43. Frontward-rearward moving member

44. Clamping member

45. Guide receiving portion

46. First guide shaft

47. First screw thread

48. First motor

48 a. Pulley

48 b. Belt

49. Slide table

49 a. Roller

50. Side plate portion

51. Pivotal plate

52. Second guide

53. Second screw thread

54. Clamp piece

54 a. Outer frame

54 b. Resilient guide portion

55. Pressure receptor portion (pressure receptor portion)

56. First lock plate (first lock portion)

56 a. Roller

56 b. Lock pin

57. Second lock plate (second lock portion)

58. Lock hole

58 a. Arcuate portion

58 b. First lock recessed portion

58 c. Second lock recessed portion

59. Second motor

59 a. Pulley

59 b. Belt

60. Conveyance roller

61. Control device

62. Server

63. Input device

64. Storage device

65. Driving device

66. Fall prevention rod

67. Guide plate

68. Auxiliary pusher

68 a. projected portion

69. Container

70. Bag

71. Moving support portion

72. Pulley

73. Endless belt

74. Auxiliary guide plate

75. Hinge

75 a. Holding portion

75 b. Fixing portion

D. Medicine

d1. Body portion

d2. Leg portion

1. A medicine dispensing device comprising: a device body; a pluralityof shelf members juxtaposed in a vertical direction in the device body,each of the shelf members including one or more cassettes, each of thecassettes storing medicines in an aligned state; a medicine conveyancemember disposed at a front side of the device body, the medicineconveyance member including a medicine holding member that includes aclamping member configured to clamp the medicine; and a tray disposed ata front lower side of the device body, wherein the cassette includes apusher that compresses the stored medicines toward the front side of thedevice body, and a constant load spring that exerts a constant load onthe medicines stored in the cassette via the pusher, wherein each of theshelf members is configured to be drawn out to the front side of thedevice body together with the cassettes thereof, wherein at least one ofthe shelf members is configured to be rotatable so that one end portionof the shelf member drawn out to the front side of the device bodytogether with the cassettes thereof is obliquely directed toward a lowerside of the device body, wherein the medicine conveyance member isconfigured to move the medicine holding member horizontally andvertically in the front side of the device body so that the medicineconveyance member can be positioned adjacent any of the one or morecassettes, wherein the medicine conveyance member is configured toconvey the medicines stored in the cassettes one by one from the one ormore cassettes to the tray by means of the medicine holding member,wherein the device body includes a slide member that supports the shelfmember to be slidable along a horizontal direction and that causes theshelf member to be rotatable in a state of the shelf member drawn outfrom the device body; and a guide portion that guides the shelf memberwhen the shelf member is rotated, wherein the slide member includes apivot that rotatably supports the shelf member and is located at thefront side of the device body, and the shelf member is rotatable aroundthe pivot at the front side of the device body in the state of the shelfmember drawn out from the device body, wherein the shelf member includesa guide roller, and wherein the guide portion of the device body isformed to include a first guide surface whereon the guide roller rollsto thereby guide the shelf member slidably along in a horizontal state,and a circularly arcuate second guide surface whereon the guide rollerrolls to thereby guide the shelf member to be in a tilted state when theshelf member is rotated in the state of the shelf member drawn out fromdevice body.
 2. The medicine dispensing device according to claim 1,wherein any one of the guide portion and the shelf member of the devicebody comprises a lock member that maintain the shelf member in thetilted state in the state of the shelf member drawn out from the devicebody and rotated.
 3. The medicine dispensing device according to claim1, wherein the guide portion includes a guide wall, wherein the firstguide surface is formed on a lower edge of the guide wall and extends inforward and rearward directions of the device body and the second guidesurface is formed on a front end surface of the guide wall, wherein theslide member further includes a guide rail that is provided in the guidewall and is reciprocatingly movable in the forward and rearwarddirections, and wherein the pivot is provided on the guide rail.
 4. Themedicine dispensing device according to claim 3, wherein the slidemember further includes a support wall that is formed in the guide railand rotatably supports the shelf member around the pivot at the frontside of the device body, and wherein the pivot is provided in a centralportion of the support wall.
 5. The medicine dispensing device accordingto claim 4, wherein the slide member further includes a spring providedaround the pivot, and wherein one end portion of the spring is securedto the support wall and the other end portion of the spring is abuttedagainst the shelf member, thereby urging the shelf member in thehorizontal state.
 6. A medicine dispensing device comprising: a devicebody; a plurality of shelf members juxtaposed in a vertical direction inthe device body, each of the shelf members including one or morecassettes, each of the cassettes storing medicines in an aligned state;and a medicine conveyance member disposed at a front side of the devicebody, the medicine conveyance member being configured to convey themedicines stored in the cassettes one by one from the front side of thedevice body, wherein at least one of the shelf members is configured tobe drawn out to the front side of the device body and rotatable so thatone end portion of the shelf member drawn out to the front side of thedevice body is obliquely directed toward a lower side of the devicebody, wherein the device body includes a slide member that supports theshelf member to be slidable along a horizontal direction and that causesthe shelf member to be rotatable in a state of the shelf member drawnout from the device body; and a guide portion that guides the shelfmember when the shelf member is rotated, wherein the slide memberincludes a pivot that rotatably supports the shelf member and is locatedat the front side of the device body, and the shelf member is rotatablearound the pivot at the front side of the device body in the state ofthe shelf member drawn out from the device body, wherein the shelfmember includes a guide roller, and wherein the guide portion of thedevice body is formed to include a first guide surface whereon the guideroller rolls to thereby guide the shelf member slidably along in ahorizontal state, and a circularly arcuate second guide surface whereonthe guide roller rolls to thereby guide the shelf member to be in atilted state when the shelf member is rotated in the state of the shelfmember drawn out from device body.
 7. The medicine dispensing deviceaccording to claim 6, wherein any one of the guide portion and the shelfmember of the device body comprises a lock member that maintain theshelf member in the tilted state in the state of the shelf member drawnout from the device body and rotated.
 8. The medicine dispensing deviceaccording to claim 6, wherein the guide portion includes a guide wall,wherein the first guide surface is formed on a lower edge of the guidewall and extends in forward and rearward directions of the device bodyand the second guide surface is formed on a front end surface of theguide wall, wherein the slide member further includes a guide rail thatis provided in the guide wall and is reciprocatingly movable in theforward and rearward directions, and wherein the pivot is provided onthe guide rail.
 9. The medicine dispensing device according to claim 8,wherein the slide member further includes a support wall that is formedin the guide rail and rotatably supports the shelf member around thepivot at the front side of the device body, and wherein the pivot isprovided in a central portion of the support wall.
 10. The medicinedispensing device according to claim 9, wherein the slide member furtherincludes a spring provided around the pivot, and wherein one end portionof the spring is secured to the support wall and the other end portionof the spring is abutted against the shelf member, thereby urging theshelf member in the horizontal state.